Lesson 13: Jealousy, excesses in worldly matters, and curing the contamination of the heart

Recap of lesson 12

Goodness, generosity and Bravery are inseparable, why is this?

Likewise stinginess and cowardliness are also inseparable

The example which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) gave regarding the generous vs the miserly

Ibnul Qayyim mentions a principle: Bliss and relaxation in life will convert in the grave and in the afterlife into the same. In a similar fashion, the one whose heart is tight due to him not obeying Allah, then this will turn into torment and punishment in the grave and the afterlife.

At times you may find a person whose heart is usually relaxed, you may find him temporarily afflicted with a tight chest on the odd occasion and likewise a person who has a tight chest and has not been granted a relaxed chest may temporarily have a relaxed chest. Ibnul Qayyim says no consideration is given to these temporary factors. What matters is the constant, ongoing characteristic of a person.

g. a person who is usually a coward or a miser and on one occasion does something generous or brave, then this does not change his main characteristic

List of means of relaxing the chest so far:

Tawhid (Islamic monotheism)

Huda (guidance)

Noor of eemaan (Light of Belief)

Inaaba (turning towards Allah in repentance)

Ilm (knowledge)

Loving Allah

Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah

Ihsan, kindness and generosity

Bravery

From the greatest means of bringing about the relaxation of the chest is to remove the blameworthy characteristics or contaminations of the heart

Shaikh Muhammad Amaan Al-Jaami says these blameworthy characteristic are in reference to envy, jealousy, hatred, having great desire for the world, and being lazy with repentance.

Example of water, no matter how pure it was originally, if it becomes contaminated

Shaikh Muhammad Amaan Al-Jaami says the one who has been afflicted with jealousy, when he sees another person enjoying a blessing he wishes that blessing to be taken away from that person or delivered to him.

His soul does not rest, his jealousy torments him

He becomes agitated

In reality, the one who is jealous, then his condition speaks for himself. It is as though he is saying “O my Lord why did you give so and so such and such blessing”.

This automatically will lead to harm, backbiting and slander.

Will such a person ever have a relaxed chest?

The jealous one is afflicted with long hopes, “Later on in life I will change this and that”

All of the effort of the jealous person will be wasted due to his heart being contaminated

Shaikh Muhammad Amaan Al-Jaami says a short thobe and a thick beard, even though they have been commanded, if behind these things there are contaminations of the heart, then these things will not benefit a person. Rather, these external matters should stem from an inner pure heart.

Ibn qayyim says if a person adopts means of alleviating his chest without cleansing his heart from contaminations then the alleviation of the chest will not come about.

From among the means of alleviating the chest, is to leave off excessive worldly matters:

These matters bring about pain and sadness in the heart of as person

Excess looking in matters which Allah has prohibited, even just for tourism, then this will prevent you from looking at what Allah loves such as the Qur’an, Sunnah, learning.

Excessive speech, i.e. backbiting, gossiping and idle talk. People who do this see time as cheap, whereas the Muslim should see time as more precious than wealth as it is irreplaceable and your only true asset

Excessive listening, g. to music, songs and worthless speech, then this type of behavior will mean such a person will not spend his/her time listening to the Qur’an and learning his/her religion.

Excess Socialising, Especially in our time: Nowadays socializing will bring about evil and will take you away from attending classes, learning and sticking to those who will benefit you. One should not become a hermit, however if you cannot find any type of beneficial gathering then being secluded is better than socializing in vain.

Excessive eating:e. gluttony

Excessive sleeping: This will. NOTE these days a person may set his alarm 07:30 Am for work, but will not set his time/alarm for the Fajr prayer, this is a great sin and some scholars say this type of person is a disbeliever as he has abandoning the prayer.

NOTE: if you wasted your time in these excessive matters, then one day you will be old and will be struck with regret that you have lost your time and youth and will never get that time back.

However, if it is the case that your heart has remorse due to the guilt of having wasted this time, then how blessed a grief this is

Ibn Qayyim says how constrained bitter is the life of a person who has engaged in all of the above, and how blissful is the life of the one who has taken part in all of the means of alleviating his heart

The point of all of these lessons is that Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was the most perfect of creation in respect to relaxation of the chest, real happiness, elevation of rank and pardoning of sins

How much relaxation of the heart and bliss in this life you attain is proportionate to how closely you follow the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)

When one says “I love the Messenger of Allah”, then this should not be based solely on his personality, indeed his uncle Abu Talib loved him for this reason and this did not benefit him. What is needed is the love that comes from Eemaan (belief).

How much Allah will support you and protect you is proportionate on how closely you follow the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)

Whoever finds goodness (in this world and the next), then let him praise Allah, and whoever finds other than that then let him not blame anyone except his own self

Allah says: “O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious – see V. 2:2).” [Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) verse 183]

When a verse begins with “O You who believe” then listen carefully as it is going to be a commandment or a prohibition

This verse shows us that fasting has been obligated upon his Ummah

It also informs us that fasting was prescribed upon the previous nations who came before us

The verse also tells us the wisdom behind fasting: So that we may achieve piety (fearing Allah, fulfilling the obligations and staying away from the prohibitions)

The purpose and wisdom behind fasting is one of the most important things a Muslim needs to know

NOTE: Fasting is not just to experience hunger, although it is one important part of it.

Shaikh Al-Fawzan says when one experiences hunger he understands the position of those who are in poverty and do not have any food.

Also when one feels hunger, despite your strength and youth, you will experience what it feels to be weak.

To reach taqwa (piety) is the goal of fasting

Those who have the attitude “I just want to get it over and done with”, these will not experience the happiness and joy of the great opportunity Allah has provided to us to gain piety and a great deal of reward

Shaykh Al-Fawzan says when Ramadhaan finishes the Muslims are of 2 categories

Either someone who is happy that it is over, they could not wait for it to end, they have not understood the purpose of it. Someone who is like this needs to fix their attitude, fasting is a pillar of Islam.

Others feel happy that they have completed Ramadhaan, but are sad that it is now over, these people have understood its significance

Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.’ Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

There is a great deal of reward in Ramadhaan

Allah says: “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [i.e. to say Takbir (Allahu-Akbar; Allah is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of Ramadan and Shawwal] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.” [Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) verse 185]

On the authority of Abdullah, the son of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say, “Islamhas been built on five [pillars]: testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the salah (prayer), paying the zakat (obligatory charity), making the hajj (pilgrimage) to the House, and fasting in Ramadhan.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

A person aims to purify and cleans his soul from the degrading and lowly acts

Anas b. Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) as saying: The devil flows in a man like his blood. [Sunan Abi Dawud]

When a person fasts, his veins become less in volume due to lack of water and so this also limits the flow of the shaitaan

Fasting also strengthens your mind and your resolve in staying upon

Fasting teaches you patience upon the obedience of Allah and patience in staying away from the haraam

Fasting helps a person control himself

Within fasting, a person loses his desires for the worldly glitter and instead things more about the day of Judgement and therefore he better understands his purpose in life

Fasting helps you to sympathise with those who are in a poorer state than yourself

When a person is fasting he must refrain from certain things with an intention from before Fajr time until Maghrib time, this is the definition of fasting.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “If one does not eschew lies and false conduct, Allahhas no need that he should abstain from his food and his drink.”[Al-Bukhari, Ibn Majah and others].

When fasting one must stay away from eating, drinking, intercourse etc, however one must also stay away from bad conduct (acting foolishly or upon falsehood) and must leave evil speech and false testimony.

The Salaf used to say the easiest part of fasting is to stop eating and drinking, whereas to control your tongue and your behaviour is the difficult part.

These days you may see a Muslim who does not offer five regular daily prayers, yet he fasts in Ramadhaan. This is a mistake in priorities.

Some of the Salaf used to make dua to Allah 6 months before Ramadhaan asking Allah for the opportunity to see the coming Ramadhaan and when it had ended they would make dua for Allah to accept their fasting and deeds during the month.

Ramadhaan is an opportunity for a person to connect with the Qur’an and pay more attention to it, read it and study it.

NOTE: A Muslim should set aside half an hour EVERY Day to read the Qur’an and this should be more in Ramadhaan

Before attending the Taraweeh prayers, one should read over what will be read that night and read the meanings of it so that when you come to the Taraweeh you can follow the Imam’s recitation and your mind will have a greater deal of focus

Q&A:

Is it permissible to read the Qur’an via mushaf or phone etc during the Taraweeh prayer and follow?

If someone has not memorised all of the Qur’an, and he/she is praying at home by themselves, can they pray Taraweeh while reading Qur’an via the mushaf or phone?

What if during taraweeh at a mosque the only Hafidh is the Imam, can someone behind him be appointed to follow along using the mushaf or phone?

What is the best way to correct the Imam during prayer?

What if I find it very useful to read the Qur’an along with the Imam using my phone and it improves my understanding/khushu/focusin prayer etc, can one do it then?